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Green European Foundation organised a training workshop for young journalists from Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia, with the support of the BlueLink Foundation. The event took place in Bulgaria, between the 18th and 21st of June 2016.

The workshop’s aim was to support young and active journalists from Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia, who have an interest in the practice of watchdog journalism, telling stories of environmental dangers and exploring new sustainable solutions offered by the Green economy. This event is a part of the Journalists and Policy Makers Boost Green Economyproject, organised by the Green European Foundation, with the support of the BlueLink Foundation (Bulgaria), the Association for Sustainable Social-Economic Development Sunrise (Macedonia) and Drugi Novi Centar Association (Serbia).

The training represented a great opportunity for the young journalists and professionals with an interest in the practice of watchdog journalism in the public interest. It provided the participants with important insights in the cross-border environmental issues in the Balkans and the Green policies as the alternative solutions. This experience served as a platform for knowledge exchange and a chance to enhance the professional skills of the participants. The training was implemented in English.

With rule of law and democratic mechanisms failing to protect nature and public interest, ethical professional watchdog journalism is essential for raising awareness and promoting Green policy solutions in South Eastern European societies. Success stories of environmental and social change, environmental justice and Green policies advanced by new politicians, policy-makers and activists fail to effectively reach – and inspire – the general public.

Therefore, the workshop aimed to:

Build on the professional skills and integrity of young and active journalists;

Engage them creatively and professionally in a virtual newsroom to facilitate authoritative and well-written creative feature articles of environmental change;

Guide them while they publish and popularise journalistic articles (in text and image) in English and their native languages;